The invention relates to a tape recorder with time display function.
It is a common practice that the time elapsed of recording or play is obtained from the counts by a counter for counting the rotational number of the reel of a tape recorder. This method, however, fails to correctly know the time elapsed. Recently, some of the tape recorders have been provided with means for displaying the time in normal mode i.e. the time to be indicated by a timepiece is defined as the time of normal mode. This time display means does not indicate the time elapsed from the starting of record or play. In other words, the time difference between the starting and end time points of record or play must be calculated from the starting time and end time of the record or play operation. This is inconvenient in practical use. For example, a small type tape recorder is frequently used at a meeting. In such a case, it is desirable that the time display unit displays time in a usual manner, or normal mode, and also in stopwatch mode i.e. an elapsed time between a starting time and a stopping time is defined as the time of stopwatch mode. In stopwatch mode, the elapsing time of record or play is displayed. This desire may easily be satified if two time display units are provided; one for the normal mode time display the other for the stopwatch mode time display. Such a time display unit, however, is costly and needs much space for accommodating two display units. This is problematic particularly for small type tape recorders such as a microcassette type tape recorder.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a tape recorder in which both the time displays of normal and stopwatch modes are possible by using a single time display unit.